A question that struck straight to the soul.
Anger fully unleashed, accompanied by a surging roar of chakra.
In that moment, no one could answer Menma's furious shout.
Not Kakashi. Not Genma Shiranui. And certainly not Naruto.
"I... You..."
Naruto was completely flustered, plunged into a state of severe self-doubt. His hands trembled, his face was pale. Looking at Menma not far away, he suddenly understood why he had felt a strange sense of familiarity when he first saw him.
Because that was his own brother.
Even though there was no "hard evidence" yet, the reactions of Kakashi and Genma were proof enough.
But the more he realized this, the more lost Naruto felt.
Why?
Just as Menma had asked.
Why were two brothers treated so differently? Why didn't Grandpa Third, Kakashi-niichan, or anyone else tell him about his brother's existence? Why didn't they tell him his mother's real name? Why hide it all!?
Naruto couldn't understand, and he couldn't find the answers.
His heart was on the verge of collapse.
"Naruto, there are reasons for all of this. It's not what you think. You have to trust us, trust Lord Third and Lord Jiraiya. For now, let's subdue Menma first. Everything will be explained later!"
Even though he knew his words were hollow...
Kakashi knew exactly what he had to do.
The village was under attack by foreign enemies. Whatever internal issues they had, the correct and most appropriate course of action was to deal with them after the immediate threat was neutralized.
"Kakashi-niichan... I..."
Naruto looked utterly lost.
He looked at Kakashi, then at the cold-faced Menma. His heart was in chaos.
He didn't know what to say or do.
Everything he had believed in seemed so laughable, so pale, so weak in this moment.
Kakashi patted Naruto on the shoulder, then stepped forward to address Menma. "I won't debate the rights and wrongs of the past, Menma. But since you know your identity, you should know that Lord Fourth and Lady Kushina sacrificed themselves to save this village. As their son, you shouldn't stand against the village they died for! Come back. All of this can pass. Past mistakes can be corrected. It's not too late to turn back!"
He spoke with earnest emotion, as if he were truly thinking of Menma's well-being.
Menma, however, reacted as if he had heard the world's biggest joke. He threw his head back and laughed maniacally.
"Hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!"
"Ridiculous. Truly ridiculous. You can actually stand there and speak with such self-righteousness? 'As the son of the Fourth, I shouldn't stand against the village'? How stupid, how laughable do you have to be to say something like that? Do you not know why my parents died, Kakashi!? Are you going to pretend you don't know what is sealed inside me!? For this village, my parents not only sacrificed their lives but used their own son as a vessel! All for the so-called 'greater good' of the village! But what did I get in return!? Are you going to say you don't know, Kakashi!? I still remember the warmth of my parents' blood as they died!!!"
"You tell me!? Don't stand against Konoha!? HAH!?"
Menma roared, venting his rage.
He held nothing back.
Kakashi's expression froze.
In the end, Kakashi wasn't shameless. Unlike Danzo, who had to hypnotize himself with his own twisted sense of justice, Kakashi had a conscience.
And this was an irrefutable situation.
Whether it was Menma's identity...
Or his treatment over the past twelve years...
Taken individually, maybe there could be some strained justification. But when combined—and juxtaposed against Naruto, the glaringly opposite example—any explanation became painfully weak.
"Menma, this..."
Kakashi looked like he wanted to say something, but it turned into a deep sigh. In this moment, he truly didn't know what to say.
Beside him, Genma Shiranui looked equally awkward.
Like Kakashi, he had been a direct subordinate of the Fourth Hokage. As a member of the Hokage Guard Platoon, taught the Flying Thunder God Technique by Minato personally, he was absolutely a trusted confidant.
Facing Menma...
Genma felt genuinely guilty. He had no moral ground to stand on before this particular son of the Fourth.
"Enough. You don't need to explain anything, Kakashi. Nor you, Genma Shiranui. In the end, you are just ninja of Konoha. Whether you were his direct subordinates or not is meaningless. I never expected anything from you, nor have I ever resented you. We are simply strangers. Therefore, you have no right to lecture me. It all comes down to the choices made now. This once-glorious village has rotted from the roots. It is time for it to be reborn. And destruction is the first step. Let Konoha know true pain!!!"
Menma smiled coldly. Glancing back at the giant sand sphere and sensing the violent chakra surging within, he calmed his emotions completely.
All that talking? Sure, it was partly to vent. But mostly, it was to stall for time!
Boom!
Just as Menma finished speaking...
Behind him...
The previously quiet sand sphere suddenly convulsed, expanding and contracting as a chilling aura erupted from it.
Crack!
The top of the sphere shattered.
A piercing screech rang out.
As massive waves of chakra flooded the area...
Within the visible field of view...
"What!?"
In the next second...
To Baki's immense delight...
A colossal, terrifying arm, covered in strange black markings, burst forth!
The gigantic limb didn't stop.
It expanded at a geometric rate.
Its size ballooned.
"Kankurō, Temari! Scatter, now!"
Baki shouted sharply at the siblings while immediately retreating to a safe distance.
Startled out of their trance, the two scrambled backward.
Rumble!
A monstrous raccoon like creature of immense proportions suddenly materialized within the Chunin Exam stadium.
A majestic, terrifying aura erupted.
"ROAR!!!"
With a deafening roar, shockwaves rippled through the air. Its massive tail swept out wildly...
Instantly smashing the surrounding high walls to rubble.
"The One-Tail!?"
Seeing the terrifying beast, Kakashi's face went pale as he cried out in shock.